Darling Parade : Battle Scars & Broken Hearts

Nashville, TN is a city built on a legacy. It’s a legacy known for popularizing country music and producing its biggest stars. It isn’t very often that a non-country act makes a name for itself in Music City, USA, but one band is hoping to change that, Darling Parade. Originally formed in 2007, the band is composed of lead vocalist Kristin Kearns, lead guitarist Nate McCoy, Bassist Dustin McCoy and drummer Casey Conrad. On their path to showcasing that Nashville has more to offer than country music, they have found success while experiencing low points at the same time. 

This has not deterred Darling Parade from continuing to chase their dreams. In actuality, it has motivated them and helped them produce some truly personal content.  We got the chance to speak with Nate of Darling Parade and find out what keeps the band driven after so many ups and down.

Joe:  You were able to record an entire album through the use of Kickstarter where backers donated over $16,000; what has it meant to you to know that your fans supported you enough to donate? 

Nate: We are very lucky to have the fans we have. Seeing people support us like that when we were just starting out showed us that there was a chance we could actually pull this off. We owe everything to those backers. 

Joe: Do you mind elaborating on the experiences that have shaped your music and the band overall?

Nate: In the last few years we've had tons of ups and downs. We've been #1 on a Sirius XM station while not having money to get a hotel. We've won awards from MTV and then broken down on the street outside Viacom right afterwards. We've gone on amazing tours and met tons of great people, been robbed of all our possessions twice, and lived to talk about it. It's made us appreciate everything about the road, home, and our friends and family. Every single thing we've gone through together has made us stronger, and we wouldn't have it any other way. 

Joe: You describe your album, “Battle Scars & Broken Hearts” as, “An overall theme of overcoming struggle and coming to terms with some of the weakest moments while rising above them”. Can you describe the specific moments that helped shape the album?

Nate: We went through a pretty big change before that album including parting ways with a long time friend which was hard, but at least we had the album to vent out all the frustration.

Joe:  You’ve shared the stage with Cassadee Pope, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Chevelle; what have those opportunities taught you about your music and the band?

Nate: All of those were pretty amazing. Cassadee was nice enough to take us on her first solo tour ever, which was also our first tour ever. It was a new experience for everyone. Chevelle is one of the few bands that all four of us can enjoy together having loved them for over 10 years. Playing with them was a dream come true. 

Joe: Is there anything you would like to share with your fans and our readers?

Nate: We appreciate the continued support. We've been doing this since 2007, and we wouldn't still be here without the friends and fans. One thing I can tell you for sure is that we'll live in a cardboard box before we quit playing music, so don't expect to get rid of us anytime soon. 

Darling Parade has quite a bit in store for 2016 with new music on the way and plans of hitting the road again. They’re always working and planning, making sure that they are prepared for every opportunity when it presents itself.